Mystical Fortune Update

Well, I took the folks up to Nikko today, a place about 150km or so north of Tokyo, up in the hills. The tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu is located there, and it's a World Heritage Site... now having spent a few days in Kyoto, one can get a little jaded about World Heritage Sites, National Treasures, Designated Important Cultural Properties, etc. Sometimes it seems all you gotta do to get registered is stick a crappy bird on the roof of your temple. Baby, it don't even got to be gold.

However, Nikko is the bidniz. I recommend it - the buildings are exceptional and, to my knowledge, no-one has burned them down yet (most historical buildings in Japan are reconstructions... the famous Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) in Kyoto for example, was most recently burned down by a buck-wild monk in 1950, but had been razed and rebuilt at least four or five times prior to that). Moreover, the temples and shrines at Nikko are set amidst towering, grand old cedar trees - you expect to see an Ewok in a kimono at any moment... that's scarcely a recommendation I suppose - let me re-assure you, no Ewoks were observed. (Though one fanciful carving of an elephant bore a passing resemblance to "Watto" the annoying thingy from Episode One who was apparently supposed to be a Jew or an Italian or something).

Photos will be up on the flickarz in due course (I have taken a bungload since getting my new camera and it will take a while to sort out what's worth uploading and what ain't).

Anyway, I also have a new fortune (see the old one here), procured at Rinnoji Temple.

Your Fortune: Excellent (result!)

Everything you want to do can be done well. No problem in your family.

(I like to read this as "No problem in YOUR family!!! ...many problems are implied in the families of others)

Wish: Everything goes as you expect. You can sell or buy any house, any land.
Expected Visitor: He(or she) will come very soon.
Missing Thing: Keep calm and look around with patience.
Travel: Business trip will do good.
Business: All right, but be cool.
Study: No problem. Continue studying.
Speculation: Just wait, or you'll lose.
Game and Match: You will surely win. Be calm.
Love: Get along with your partner faithfully.
Removal: No problem. (This may refer to tumours)
Childbirth: Don't worry.
Illness: Be faithful, and it will soon be cured.
Marriage Proposal: Leave it to others. You can realize it.